Coming Home
by bookaddict1028
Summary: After the war, Percy returns home to his worry-stricken mother. Rick Riordan owns all characters; cover art belongs to the fabulous Vira.


A/N: **Hey guys! this is just a little headcannon I had one night and ended up writing on my phone. Since we didn't get a PercyxSally reunion in BoO, this is my rendition of it. I hope you like it! R &R!**

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When he walked in, she dropped the pan she was washing onto the floor and ran for him. Soap and water spilled on the kitchen floor, mimicking the way tears fell out of Sally's eyes at the view of her son. He was dirty, with dried blood on his face and tears in his clothes; there were even a few stray leaves that had somehow found themselves tangled in his messy hair. His shoes were falling apart, and his arms – fatigued and sore from all the fighting – hung limp at his sides, Riptide dangling from his fingers.

Sally didn't care though. She wrapped her thin arms around his muscular shoulders and let out a content, strangled, sigh. For the time being, she wasn't going to ask questions. She decided in a split second that she'd rather delay the inevitable of finding out the horrors that her only son had gone through to get back, and spend as long as she could just holding him. Percy buried his face in his mother's hair, clinging to her blouse. He made a sound that was supposed to be, "Mom" but ended up sounding like a cross between a whimper and a sigh. He choked on his breath.

He was fighting tears, and the battle didn't seem to be in his favor. All he wanted to do was hug his mother. Just hug her and never let go again. He couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed when Sally finally spoke.

"Oh, baby," she said, still clutching her son like it was the last time she would ever hold him – which hopefully wasn't true. "Where have you been? What happened? Where's Annabeth?" her voice cracked on the last word, hoping so damn hard not only for her sake, but for her sons, that his best friend and girlfriend was okay.

Percy seemed to sense that the final question was the most important one in the moment. Because if Annabeth wasn't okay, there was no way he would be okay. He knew that that was something his mother needed to know as soon as possible, so she could help if need be.

"Annabeth's fine," Percy said, almost crying in the relief of just saying it out loud. "The other two questions are going to take a while to answer."

Percy kept a hold of his mother's hand as she moved to the kitchen to get him a cup of coffee before sitting him down on the couch to explain. Percy was grateful for the caffeine, as after the hell of a day he'd had, he was practically dead on his feet.

He had to keep reminding himself that he could close his eyes. He could blink. He could take a deep breath and pause and not have to worry about being killed in that split-second. But every time he did close his eyes, all he saw was Tartarus, and he could feel his heart stop. He wanted Annabeth to hurry and get there; he needed her reassuring touch and her promises that everything was going to be perfectly fine now. Nothing could hurt them.

He didn't want to admit it, but that place had scarred him more than he had let on. Ever since him and Annabeth had gotten out, neither of them had been able to sleep alone. For when the nightmares came, and they woke up screaming, the other one not in sight, the fear became a thousand times more real.

It was easy to pretend though. It was easy to push away the terror and to plaster a mask of confidence on your face so their friends wouldn't worry about them. It was easy to forget when you had a war to win. But now that it was over, now that they had peace, Percy suspected it would be a lot harder to keep the fear from eating him alive. He needed Annabeth.

Percy also didn't want to tell his mother about Tartarus. He didn't want her to worry. He didn't want her to be scared that he wasn't okay. But he told her, because after everything, he owed her the full truth.

Sally's heart nearly stopped when Percy explained that him and Annabeth had fallen into Tartarus and proceeded to spend two weeks trying to find a way to the doors of death. She had to bite her tongue to keep from crying. She was so worried about him; even now when he was within her reach. She'd read stories about the deepest part of the underworld, and it was not somewhere you just came back from. But at least he had Annabeth.

Percy continued to tell her of their journey to Greece. How – surprise, surprise – his nosebleed had almost caused the apocalypse. And Leo, his friend, had sacrificed himself to kill to Earth Mother. He was a hero.

"You're a hero too, Percy," Sally insisted. "You've done so much, and you're not even seventeen yet."

Percy shrugged. _All in a days work for a Demigod, huh?_ Sally thought.

"It wasn't just me. There were six others. And we would've all been dead without Annabeth . . ."

Sally smiled at that. Finally, after years of Sally seeing something between Percy and his best friend, he could admit it to himself.

"Of course, dear."

Percy eyed her suspiciously, but his mouth was tugged into a smirk so wide it almost counted as a smile. "She should be here soon."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Of course, when Sally bolted to the door, it was only Paul – who had forgotten his key that morning. When he saw his stepson sitting in the living room, the weight of the world seemed to be lofted off his shoulders.

"Oh God, Percy. I'm so glad you're back," he said, smiling widely and holding out his arms for a hug.

Percy obliged, patting his stepfather on the back and whispering a thanks into his ear. Paul nodded at him as he puled away. The nod was silent, and barely noticeable, but Percy knew it meant, "No, thank _you_."

Thank you for not dying and leaving me with a woman too broken to be put back together thank you for saving the world and letting us live a little longer. Thank you for staying a safe as you can when you're a demigod. Thank you for coming home.

Annabeth showed up a little later, and Sally screamed and rushed to hug her when she caught a glimpse of her. Her blonde curls were freshly washed and hanging down her back. She had on clean clothes, and new shoes. She looked about a million times better than Percy – in his ripped up Camp shirt and mud-stained jeans – but he was bias. He thought she was gorgeous no matter what state her hair and clothes were in.

Sally soon pulled the four of them into a group hug. Of course, he pretended he didn't like it. He missed his mother so much, he could hug her for hours.

After a home-cooked dinner from Sally, and a lot of stress-relieving exercises Paul made Percy and Annabeth try, Sally agreed to Annabeth staying over for the night. She was not ready for her son to leave home just yet, and if letting him have his girlfriend sleep over was what it took, she was partial. Of course, the had to keep the door open.

Annabeth smiled timidly at Percy as they retreated to his bedroom. Sally and Paul wer already asleep in the other room. Percy patted the bed for her to sit next to him, and after all their time on the Argo II, she didn't even think twice before joining him.

There had been many nights after Tartarus when one of them had woken in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and fear, from a nightmare, needing each others warmth. The birthplace of all monsters was not a place easily forgotten, and the dreams burdened the both of them every night, still.

So, Annabeth cuddled up into Percy's side, wrapping an arm around his torso. He smelled of lemons and cinnamon – which was an intensely pleasant smell mixed together if you thought about it. Sally had shoved him into the shower before dinner, claiming that no none was going to sit at her dining room table if he was that dirty. He hadn't even tried to fight, although Annabeth assumed he would've showered on his own free will soon enough.

"That was nice," Annabeth sighed. "The group hug; dinner."

Percy chuckled a little. The vibrations spread through his chest and tingled through Annabeth's body. She moved closer to him – even though she was already pretty close.

"You know I've never really had a close family like that," Annabeth reminded him, although she knew he needed no reminder. "I mean, my dad tried, and it was getting better. But I'm not sure they'll ever be able to really accept me."

"I know," Percy agreed.

For some reason, this made Annabeth's heart clench. Of course he knew. He knew her better than anyone else. Maybe even better than she knew herself. He was her best friend, her boyfriend. The person she told everything.

"My mom love you, you know," he told her. She could hear the smile in his voice. "Almost as much as I love you."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah . . . and that's a lot."

Annabeth didn't even bother biting back a smile. She laughed softly and looked up at her boyfriend from where her head rested on his chest.

"You'll never be alone, Annabeth," he promised.

Annabeth didn't doubt it for a second. Heck, he had fallen into Tartarus for her. His fatal flaw was loyalty. He loved her. She loved him. She wasn't alone.

"I know," she smiled.

"I love you," Percy murmured, his breath catching.

"I love you," Annabeth said back.

The light from the kitchen peaked through the open door. It shone on Percy's face as he closed his eyes, his breath evening out. Every laugh line, every scar, every lock of black hair. Annabeth dared to scoot up and press her lips firmly to his, only for a moment. She wasn't sure, but when she pulled away, she thought he was a trace of a smile.

In the next room, Sally lay awake. The fact that her son and his girlfriend were both home, safe and alive and together, was still sinking in. Her smile and tears were bright as she slowly fell asleep next to her husband. For once, in a very long time, everyone was finally home.


End file.
